Who is Denise Levertov

Priscilla Denise Levertov (24 October 1923 – 20 December 1997) was a British-born naturalised American poet. She was a recipient of the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry.

Early life and influences

Levertov was born and grew up in Ilford, Essex. Her mother, Beatrice Adelaide (née Spooner-Jones) Levertoff, came from a small mining village in North Wales. Her father, Paul Levertoff, had been a teacher at Leipzig University and as a Russian Hasidic Jew was held under house arrest during the First World War as an 'enemy alien' by virtue of his ethnicity. He emigrated to the UK and became an Anglican priest after converting to Christianity. In the mistaken belief that he would want to preach in a Jewish neighbourhood, he was housed in Ilford, within reach of a parish i...
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Denise Levertov Poems

  • People At Night
    A night that cuts between you and you
    and you and you and you
    and me : jostles us apart, a man elbowing
    through a crowd.          We won't ...
  • Aware
    When I found the door
    I found the vine leaves
    speaking among themselves in abundant
    whispers. ...
  • Matins
    i


    The authentic! Shadows of it ...
  • Ikon: The Harrowing Of Hell
    Down through the tomb's inward arch
    He has shouldered out into Limbo
    to gather them, dazed, from dreamless slumber:
    the merciful dead, the prophets, ...
  • Contraband
    The tree of knowledge was the tree of reason.
    That's why the taste of it
    drove us from Eden. That fruit
    was meant to be dried and milled to a fine powder ...
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Top 10 most used topics by Denise Levertov

Light 22 Green 16 Dark 15 Time 15 Joy 14 White 13 Moon 12 Shadow 11 Deep 10 Life 10


Denise Levertov Quotes

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Comments about Denise Levertov

Susanrichpoet: please don't shoot the messenger
Sccenglish: a poetry advent calendar. december 18th. 'annunciation' by denise levertov. "we know the scene: the room, variously furnished, almost always a lectern, a book; always the tall lily."
Godandchocolate: “annunciation” by denise levertov she did not cry, ‘i cannot. i am not worthy,’ nor, ‘i have not the strength.’ she did not submit with gritted teeth, raging, coerced.
Kwmdw6: poem: annunciation denise levertov we know the scene: the room, variously furnished, almost always a lectern, a book; always the tall lily. arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings, the angelic ambassador, standing or hovering, whom she acknowledges, a guest. 2/
Sacredartstudio: but we have only begun to love the earth. we have only begun to imagine the fullness of life. how could we tire of hope? — so much is in bud. -denise levertov "the artist's prayer" blanket. spring sale. learn more & purchase here
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Poem of the day

Isaac Watts Poem
Psalm 119 Part 10
 by Isaac Watts

Pleading the promises.

ver. 38,49

Behold thy waiting servant, Lord,
Devoted to thy fear;
Remember and confirm thy word,
For all my hopes are there.
...

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